
- Name: Xenon
- Symbol: Xe
- Atomic Number: 54
- Atomic Weight: 131.293 u
- Period: 5
- Group: 18 (noble gases)
24 Xenon Facts for Kids
- Xenon is a chemical element on the periodic table.
- Xenon is a dense noble gas that is odorless and colorless. However, it does exhibit a bright blue glow when placed inside an electric field.
- Xenon was discovered and first isolated in 1898 by Scottish chemist William Ramsay and English chemist Morris Travers.
- In 1904, William Ramsay won the Nobel Peace Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of xenon and other noble gases.
- The symbol for xenon is Xe.
- The atomic number for xenon is 54.
- The standard atomic weight of xenon is 131.293 u.
- Xenon is a gas at room temperature.
- Xenon is in the noble gas element category on the periodic table.
- Xenon is a period 5 chemical element, which is the fifth row on the periodic table.
- Xenon is a group 18 chemical element, which is the noble gases group.
- Xenon is in the p-block on the periodic table.
- The electron configuration for xenon is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6.
- The electrons per shell for xenon is 2, 8, 18, 18, 8.
- Xenon has seven stable isotopes.
- The seven stable isotopes of xenon are 126Xe, 128Xe, 129Xe, 130Xe, 131Xe, 132Xe and 134Xe.
- The melting point for xenon is -169.15 °F (-111.75 °C).
- The boiling point for xenon is -162.578 °F (-108.099 °C).
- In the Earth’s atmosphere, xenon is considered a trace gas.
- Xenon is found in the Earth’s atmosphere at about 1 part per 11.5 million.
- Xenon has been detected in gases emitted from some mineral springs.
- The rarity of xenon in the Earth’s atmosphere makes it expensive, but it still has several useful applications.
- The NASA spacecraft Deep Space 1 (DS) was powered by an ion thruster using xenon gas.
- The hypothetical weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are searched for using xenon gas.
Additional Resources on Xenon
- Xenon (Xe) – Discover more about the chemical element xenon on the Los Alamos National Laboratory website.
- Xenon for Kids – Find more information about the chemical element xenon for kids on the Britannica Kids website.
- Xenon and Your Health – Learn about the benefits and/or risks of xenon to your health on the National Institute of Health website.
- Xenon – PubChem – Read more about xenon and the data behind it on the NIH PubChem website.